Outstanding Academic Advisor Award nominations due by April 12

Nominations are being accepted for Western Illinois University's annual Outstanding Academic Advisor Award until Friday, April 12.

Eligible individuals include full- or part-time faculty members or academic-support personnel responsible for the academic advising of undergraduate students and who are assigned a caseload of academic advisees, according to a news release.

According to Diane Bagley from Western's Center for Innovation in Teaching and Research, the period of service covered by the award is Fall Semester 2012 through Spring Semester 2013. It is expected that nominees will be employed at WIU during the 2013-14 academic year, and nominations will be accepted from students, peers, supervisors or through self-nomination, she added.

The nominating letter should document excellence in two or more of examples of service to students as an advisor; student perceptions of advisor's abilities based on evaluations; size, composition and effective management of caseload with emphasis on qualitative management; knowledge of advising principles and university rules and regulations; and meeting student needs beyond the expectations of the position.

Nominations should be submitted to the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Research, located in the Leslie F. Malpass Library, room 637. Each nomination letter should describe the nominator's perception of the advisor's effectiveness. The nomination must be accompanied by a minimum of two and a maximum of five letters of support secured by the nominator. Letters of support from students are particularly encouraged. If the nominator is not the department chair or supervisor of the nominee, the nominator should ask the chair or supervisor to submit in writing his/her perceptions of the advisor's effectiveness.

The award recipient will receive a $250 cash award from the WIU Office of the Provost and $250 in line item expenditures, as well as a plaque from the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Research. The application packet of the winner will be submitted as Western Illinois University's entry to the National Academic Advisors Association competition.

Selection will be made by the Outstanding Academic Advisor Award committee, which is comprised of the CITR director; the previous year's recipient; a representative of the Faculty Senate; and a representative of the Council of Academic Advisors. Every college at Western is encouraged to submit a candidate for this award.

For more information, contact Bagley at 309-298-2434 or via email at DK-Bagley1@wiu.edu.